The Finality of Day
by Nakimochiku
Summary: you have to survive this, Ichigo. mild Hichi x Ichi, oneshot, AU, end of the world.


The Finality of Day

Ichigo held in a quiet sigh, shelling another lychee. He dropped the knobbly shell to the muddy ground, prying off the fruit and throwing away the seed. He handed the fruit to Yuzu, and shelled another for himself. As usual, Yuzu split the lychee in half, trying to coax the comatose Karin into eating it.

Up till a while ago, Karin had at least been able to open her eyes and refused the fruit, which had been the only thing they'd been eating for the past few months. It was the only thing they were able to steal. But now, Karin was weak. She couldn't stand, she couldn't talk, and her eyes were sealed shut by disgusting ooze that Yuzu diligently wiped away from the pale face every few minutes. Her pulse was weakening, and Ichigo already knew that within a day, Karin would be dead.

He popped the lychee into his mouth, trying not to think about the fast approaching death of his beloved little sister. He was more worried about Yuzu, who couldn't take any more death. He looked up as he saw another young face. There weren't a lot of people his age left, they'd all over dosed on whatever drugs they could find.

The boy before him might have been pale at one point, but was covered in too much muck for him to tell. He must have been near the sea when Leviathan had awoken. That had been a terrible day for everyone. Monsters crawled out of the sea. And the water was black. And the only thing that could be seen was a great snake that must have covered the entire world.

"You have lychee." the stranger said, smiling. It wasn't at all warm or comforting. It was a little on the insane side.

"You can have some, if you'd like!" Yuzu said brightly. "Ichi-nii, show him to our secret spot! I'm going to get more lychee." Yuzu was smiling as if she had to, as if it would protect the ones she loved. And Ichigo hated seeing her like that. The boy sat beside him, reaching into his basket and pulling out a small fruit.

"You deserve something in return." Ichigo was about to shake his head, but was stopped by the unnerving giggle. "I saw a guava tree a little bit away. It looked kinda empty, but ya never know."

"Thanks..." he whispered hoarsely. He hadn't spoken in a long time, and when punks came for the little bit of food they had, he let his fists speak for him. He got another giggle in reply. "I... have an apple, if you want half...?"

"Names first, food later." the boy laughed, reaching for yet another lychee, not minding the their thighs brushed or he was leaning across Ichigo's lap to get it. "Ya can call me Shiro. I never really had a family, before _**it**_ started, so it wasn't much of a loss. Ya on the other hand..." Shiro glanced at Karin, who looked like she was crying stick yellow goo. "Yer not as lucky."

he gently wiped away the sticky substance from the once pretty girl's face. "Glad to meet you Shiro. Be careful, the adults take advantage of kids."

"Tell me 'bout it. I saw a mother eat her kid. Makasa-san was so nice too..." Shiro shrugged, falling over Ichigo's lap once more to retrieve another lychee. "Guess tha's wha' 'appens when death's lookin' ya in the face." they talked for a few more minutes before falling into a comfortable silence.

"Where's Yuzu?" Ichigo mumbled, mostly to himself, wiping Karin's eyes affectionately. Normally, it didn't take this long to get lychee. Half an hour at most. But Yuzu had been gone for too long. He should have gone to get the fruit himself instead of leaving her to do it. It was dangerous after all. She could be killed. He was about to get up to tell Shiro he was going to look for her, but was interrupted.

There was a rumble, low at first, like thunder in the distance. Shiro jumped off Ichigo's lap, taking the red head's hand, and pulling him off the bench, running past buildings. "Wait, Karin! Yuzu!"

"'ere's no time fer tha'! It's comin'!" Shiro told him firmly, pulling his arm to get him to run again. "Quickly, unless ya wan' t' die." Ichigo looked behind him. There was a great wall of water, probably caused by Leviathan tossing around in the oceans. He looked back at the bench, wear Karin lay, crying her disgusting yellow tears.

"KARIN!" but Shiro wouldn't let him stop, instead pulled him up a small hill into the mountains. The water was already gaining on them, coming closer to shore. Yuzu, what about yuzu? He was her big brother, he couldn't leave her behind. He almost turned back to the shore, desperate, thinking only of them. Shiro seemed to have read his mind, holding his hand tighter.

"I'm no' lettin' ya go back 'ere. Now follow me."

"But yuzu...!" he pleaded, fighting against the iron grip of the pale boy. "Yuzu needs me! Yuzu, I have to save her!" Shiro held him by the shoulders, glowing eyes boring into his soul.

"Wha' Yuzu needs is fer ya t' stay alive. Ya 'ave t' survive." Shiro pressed his lips to Ichigo's forehead and pulled Ichigo to a hidden cave. "We'll be safe in here." they watched as the tidal wave crashed onto the earth demolishing everything. Yet strangely it didn't flood into the mouth of the cave. Shiro still held Ichigo's hand tightly. And Ichigo, was scared. For the first time since _**it**_ had started, he was scared. He hardened his face, his scowl as mean as ever. And maybe it told the boy holding him close that he was just fine, but it didn't prove it to himself.

There was nothing but crashing now. And the most horrible of screeches. It was deafening and made the earth shake. "What was... it?"" he managed to ask. He was thirsty and hungry, and confused.

"Behemoth... it's the last sign that this is the end of the world. Behemoth and Leviathan are battling." Shiro answered, wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders. Then the tidal waves started again. He didn't have any care for marveling at how they stayed safe in this cave. He had more time to think about what a horrible brother he was. He'd let both Yuzu and Karin die horribly, all alone. He hadn't even tried to find a cure for Karin's sickness, or even thought that it would be dangerous to let Yuzu out alone.

and now he didn't have his two most precious things in the world.

"I failed them." he told Shiro on the fifths day. "I failed them in every way possible. And I didn't deserve to survive."

Shiro kissed his forehead affectionately, which he had taken to doing often. He smiled in that familiar insane way. "'ere's somethin' planned fer ya. Tha's why ya 'ave t' live. Ya 'ave t' survive 'is, an' every other obstacle. Ya may be the last in a line of heroes. Tha's why ya 'ave t' live. You _have _to. Ichigo." Shiro's voice was soft, strong, like the gentle waves of the ocean. Back a long time ago, when Leviathan still slept. It was comforting.

He must have fell asleep in Shiro's arms. But when he woke up, he was cold. The sun was shining, which was strange in itself. He hadn't seen the sun in months, it burnt his eyes. No one was in the cave, except for a small lychee and a large white feather with greyish spots.

Carefully, he stepped out into the sunlight, pocketing his two new treasures as he shaded his eyes.

Ruined land, upturned trees, everything soaking with water. And most importantly, Leviathan, the great long snake lay sprawled along the shore. It's tail curled every which way. But one could easily see it's head on what used to be the ocean. And beside it, an enormously huge animal lay, flesh torn by Leviathan's great jaws. Both creatures were dead.

He descended to shore, finding only a small group of people. A frail but strong willed girl and a tattooed man. Both were his age. Another wimpy looking boy and cheery orange haired girl. Again, his age. And a silent giant. He hadn't expected other young people in the town he'd lived in.

"_You __**have**__ to. Ichigo."_

'_How did he know my name?'_

OWARI

_I hope you got it. Anyway, Leviathan and Behemoth (a cattle and a whale, you could say) are from jewish myths, and it's said that they would battle at the end of the world and the surviving men would eat their flesh since they would end up killing each other. I've been meaning to write an end of the world fic for a long time. But Leviathan finally did it for me. Please review!_


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